Propagation Techniques for Bonsai - Benefits and Drawbacks of Seed, Cuttings and Airlayers
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2024
- Propagation is a great way to accumulate material for Bonsai. What are the benefits of growing by seed? Which drawback are there to airlayering? And what to do with the volume of cuttings when growing bonsai? In this video I discuss the 3 main types of propagation (Seed, cutting, airlayer) and their pros and cons.
Learn why I think everybody should learn how to propagate and have fun with it!
I love propagating plants. That is the most relaxing and rewarding thing I ever done in my life. Besides helping others in life, there is nothing more rewarding and satisfying than seeing a plant grow and taking shape.
Great video Jelle!! Propagating bonsai is one of my favorite activities!! I’m a huge fan, thanks for being an inspiration for me to start a channel specific for Japanese maples!!
Interesting video. I am propagating trees for bonsaï purposes for many years now, even for several decades and I agree with everyting you say and show in this video. Perhaps a few additional remarks:
1) for cheap or even free (little) plastic pots (and so reusing them and keeping them out of waste garbage!): ask your local nursery of garden plants (flowers or vegetables). I did and I got them for free...
2) your local garden centre probably has lots of these growing trays in which you can plant quite a few seedlings or cuttings or even little trees more or less separately. Often you can get them for free (look at the exit area for example or ask for them). Of course, you should take care for good drainage.
3) you can get those rather weak, limp black cutting pots from China (I guess) - we all know the sites where you should look for them... - easily and they are very cheap. Bonsaï nurseries in Japan and other eastern countries, do use them a lot in all sizes when they start seedlings or cuttings.
3) keep your cuttings or seedlings moist but not soaking wet!
4) I think Jelle is right: it's wise to look for species that do well in the region you live in: it might increase your success rate quite a lot.
5) when you try cuttings of deciduous trees, try heel cuttings: I found out that it works with many species and it has a rather high success rate (Maples, Azalea's, Elm, and so on). This method also works with Junipers and Yews: I tried and succeeded.
6) indeed: be patient (perhaps the most difficult part in our regions - I live in Western Europe, the Netherlands)... But...
7) ...if you do want to create a credible bonsaï in a rather short periode of time: use large pots or even open ground (if possible) and/or go for rather small bonsaï (shohin or even mame)!
8) if you have been successful and "get stuck" with too much little plants: give them away for free or just a little fee! Bonsaï is or should be for everyone!
9) by growing your own bonsaï material and trees, you are getting to know your plants and trees better and better in time. How do they respond to drought, watering, fertilizing, sunlight, shade, which diseases or other problems are a threat to them, how fast or slow do they grow, how do they respond to cutting and repotting and soil mixtures, and so on and so forth. It is my experience that you learn a lot of proceeding that way and thus, it's very valuable allthough it costs almost nothing. And it's fun!
Just a few thoughts...
Good luck and Jelle is right: it really is great fun to grow your own bonsaï material and it certainly is not difficult.
Growing from seeds or cuttings is a great buzz. Is wonderful to get them growing especially exotic trees with difficult needs. Plus local seeds are free.
To answer your question at 10:23, the term for those elms is "root cuttings." I started a kabudachi cork elm forest from the lower half of a root ball I chopped off during a repot and was going to throw away. Instead, I potted the root disk and 60+ little trunks popped out of it. Over time, I've reduced them to 11 and now I'm exposing their connected root base, which is what's cool about the kabudachi style.
Another reason to propagate is so you can provide bonsai beginners with good starter material. Younger club members tell us old guys that it's difficult to find decent material locally. When I started, there were lots of small nurseries, but they were all long ago displaced by subdivisions. With this mind, one thing I've been doing is instead of just lopping off large sacrifice branches, especially on junipers, I wrap them with raffia and wire, radically bend them, and then air layer them, resulting in something close to "instant" bonsai when I cut them off and pot them. (Well, maybe not "instant" since it does take a few months!)
Finally, I've found that a lot of species root better with a little help from bottom heat, specifically using a heat pad.
Another informative video, Jelle, and propagation is indeed just a fun thing to do!
I would luv to start what you are talking about. Is there anyway u would make a video explaining exactly what your talking about. I'm sorry I'm a visualist learner
That arakawa-lace leaf hybrid looks way cool! To have that in the garden would be the dream 😍
I’m with you. I propagate seeds every year and give most of them away just because I enjoy it. This year I have got over 50 Small Leaf Maples and the same in Arakawa Maples. As I’m 64yrs old I’ll never probably see a decent outcome but I still persevere. 😂
I have learnt so much from your videos, cuttings, seedlings and bonsai techniques, thank you
Yep, fun!
Although I have only limited success with JMs, I still keep trying. Nothing ventured, nothing gained is my moto!
I find Trident Maples much more forgiving.
im always collecting seeds. this year for the first time i got Ginkgo seeds.
when trees are healthy i am airlayering what i want to cut of.
It is lots of fun.👍
I love propagating too. I have more plants than I know what to do with. 😅
About genetic diversity, I have half a dozen of a few years old zelkovas from seed and one has smaller leaves than the others. At first I thought the plant was suffering from something but it still has smaller leaves even after transferred to the ground from the pot. Very excited about it because if it maintains the smaller leaves it would be perfect for bonsai. 😊
i like to grow from props best too. the process is so much fun. very fulfilling. TY Jelle
Been watching for years. Love your videos. Lots of help. Thank you!
I only buy trees if they're dirt cheap. There's a small piece of forest and couple of family members' yards where I can go yamadori hunting. I mostly collect quite young seedlings. I also like to take cuttings from nice trees I find anywhere. Your baggy method has helped succes in cuttings immensly! In this hobby I want to be able to say "I created this tree!" so I don't like the idea of just refining someone elses creation. That and being cheap makes propagation the best way of getting new trees for me.
Fully agree it is fun! Thanks to you I finally started to get some cuttings to root ❤ some already have some callus hope the roots will come soon 😊
Fun video!! I have tried to grow from seeds. I have some on a heat mat and under grow lights but no having much luck. Out of the many species I tried I got one black pine and a Brazilian Raintree seed to actually grow anything. The pine got to about 1 inch tall and then stoppped all growing. I thinks it's dead. The raintree grew a bit longer maybe 1 1/2 inches tall but was very weak and is dieing a slow dramatic death hanging over the edge of the pot. I have also tried cuttings. So far this may not be my thing either. So I have ordered a few different kinds of pre bonsai plants; 2 azaleas, 2 different junipers, and 2 white pine seedlings. We will see if I fare any better now. LOL
Trying to propagate from seeds for 1st time, looking forward to seeing what I get. Loving your videos ❤
Thank you for another stellar video. I live in a cool coastal climate (San Francisco). We have cold windy summers. I have been trying air layering for for a few years. It seems that rooting is quite dependent on temperature. I find the root growth seems to pick up only after we have a streak of warm weather. It can be frustrating when air layers fail. For my needs using black plastic to wrap the “layer” may help. I’m considering trying horticultural heating wires used for propagation trays. Maybe warming up my air layer transition could help.
Be well
Great video Jelle, thank you! I find seed propagating the best for the unknown of what you will end up with, with genetic veriation!
Hi,
Thank you for all the content Jelle, I really appreciate it!
I have been growing alot of different species from seed tja last 7 years, but there is one species that I'm having alot problems germinating - TILIA CORDATA.
I've planted several batches the last 4 years - and only 4 seeds germinated 😅
I recently brought a 1.5m tall Deshojo maple from a garden centre and this summer I’m planning to do the same thing as you, airlayer it off the ugly grafted rootstock. I’m also going to try propagating the cuttings when I remove the airlayer 😅
Excellent video Jelle always enjoy watching you simple and straightforward advice to help anyone interested in bonsai, just a little question please, where in this beautiful world are you based, a big plus would be what month you are doing your work, can't remember if you mention that, but as I suffer from dementia it's no surprise that I can't remember anyway thanks for sharing all your experience best regards Graham
Forgot to mention that I have just taken my first air layer from my ginkgo biloba it's about two and a half inches in diameter, took a couple of years to develop it's roots hoping it will survive, it's a bit too tall about three feet. I live in North Wales, UK thanks again for all you share I'm sure I speak for many other's
Love your videos, I love to propagate by air layering ❤
I agree - sometimes it is just the fun of growing something from cuttings :)
I've been a gardener, but not a bonsai hobbyist, and I enjoy your videos and your attitude about growing your collection (Midwest USA). THANKS!
Long live propagation, love it as well cheers and thx
Really interesting one Jelle! I love that tall slender maple you created 😍
Great,propagating is the half of the fun of keeping/“trying to create” bonsai!
Thank you, Jelle, this is a great video. All around I hear “don’t grow yourself if you really want to get into bonsai”. But you say “it’s fun!” And I relate to 100%
Question though, you mention varieties - any tips or pointers on how to make your own varieties or is it just a stroke of luck when propagating from seeds?
Oh if someone is looking for a fast growing exotic indoor tree the Kapok is ideal. Can reach 2m in first year from seed and the cuttings grow well
ik reageer ff in het nederlands vind ik makkelijker. maar vind stekken etc ook leuk. maar ben nog niet zo succesvol. voor mij niet nodig want ik koop liever een leuke start plant. maar het proces is wel gaaf. nav jouw video heb ik veel stekjes genomen van een kishu juniper. ben benieuwd hoe die gaan en hoe lang het duurt. ben een beginner en gister een dag gewerkt bij ron de roo, en vandaag ff een oude bonsai baas mee genomen voor een dagje uit bij nobilis. ik kijk al je filmpjes en reageer nooit, maar keep it up (y)
I got one of the Yew cuttings from you around two years back and turned it into a Tanuki. It'll take a few more years for it to look convincing, but it's well on it's way. It's also already making red berries. Really cool. Plant propagation is fun. This year a I took a few hundred Juniper cuttings from a few different varieties (Itoigawa & Kishu mainly). Let's see how they will be doing, they ususally take a lot of time to root. Also took Sekka Hinoki Cuttings. Then I planted around a hundred Acer Palmatum and a hundred Pines from seeds. A lot of these got killed during late frost. Many got crushed by a snow avalanche off of my roof. But 60-70 are left from each batch. I'm also air layering a lot of Sekka Hinoki and Junipers this year along with some Acer Palmatum and some other varietes. This year I'm also trying to air layer some trees that grow outside of my garden. Trees that would be impossible to dig out as Yamadori. I'll see how these are doing in late Summer.
I love propagation too.Thats the fun part of the bonsai Journey .🌳😍
I also find propagation to be fun and relaxing but because I’m too impatient I rely on cuttings and air layering. The only problem I have is way too many plants as no matter if it’s pruning garden plants or bonsai I hate throwing cuttings away. Almost everything gets stuck in a tray of fine perlite.
Dude i didn't know seeds of maples can generate random traits.. i thought it always went back to "basic green" - this is so cool!
Love your videos!!
WOW, you have crammed a whole lot of knowledge into this video.
Love propagating too! Had good success with Sekka Hinoki this year and I'm just delighted to make plants for free. I also make mostly Mame and Shohin so you can make interesting trees a bit quicker!
Really interesting seeing all the pros and cons laid out - definitely something to keep in mind for the future. Well presented!
I like this pre Bonsai tips 👍
If i had an old impressive tree i already know most techniques
-all my Bonsai knowledge comes from TH-cam and experience and i like your channel a lot!
Hello Jelle. Good explanations on benefits and drawbacks of cuttings, air-layerings and growing from seeds. I tried air layer Shindeshojo and Katsura; some branches rooted, others not. Also, the ones rooted, died or the leaves dried out a few weeks or months later. Can you explain why or do a video on why air layered JMs failed. How to take care after removing from a parent tree? Btw, I left Sphagnum moss in the pots, not sure if that is a good idea as it could hold water for a long time. Thanks
brother I love your videos! your way of doing bonsai is so genuine that every time it rekindles in me the true spirit of this hobby, having fun!! Thanks for what you do. Greetings from Italy
Yep, completely agree. Propagating is so much fun ! 😊
🎶 And then one day you find, ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun 🎵
Great video!!
Thanks for your talk. How to make the trunks in curved shape so that they look like natural old trees?
Hello from een Nederlander in the US die ook bonsai groeit. Groetjes.
JW
Recommended Rooting Substance - Powder vs Gel and good brands?
Hi Jelle thanks for your work!! How do you propagate prunus mume?
Hello Jelle.....what fertilizer do you use for your Bonsai please ? Thanks
Lovely job
What are you gonna call the arakawa variation, Jelle? Acer Palmatum var. Jelles homebrew?
Ficus ginseng propagation video please, there are videos on it but not especially with timing and everything
Helo. I have question. I made airleyer on Juniper . Use Sphagnum Moss and if i check Moss is very wet. Its ok or no?
No, it needs to be damp, not wet
@@Yurup super thanks
hi, does the branch has to have at least 1 leaf left?
👍👌🙂
When animals are cloned, the genetic material is already the same age as that of the donor. What about plants, cuttings and air layers?
Yes, plants that take years to flower or fruit will do so from cuttings